Visual Impairment in Australian School Children: Prevalence, Causes, and Associations 1st edition

Vision plays a vital role in a child's interpretation of the world. Visual impairment impacts severely on a child's physical and emotional development. This monograph documents the prevalence of visual impairment, its causes and associations in two representative samples of Australian children, predominantly aged 6 and 12 years. Detailed findings on visual acuity and the main causes of visual impairment, namely refractive error, amblyopia and strabismus are described, and factors associated with their presence outlined. In addition, an assessment of the extent and appropriateness of vision care directed at these conditions is provided. An interesting discussion of the impact of modest prematurity on visual function in the younger sample is also detailed with potentially important implications for the follow-up of premature infants.